Is the Count on Sesame Street a vampire?
are a visual staple of the character's macabre aesthetic.]] '' drew criticism in 1979 from one reader who wrote: "It seems poisonous to make a monster (Dracula) to appear as a competent teacher (even a teacher of numbers) because such an appearance would seem to mislead children into trusting Dracula, and possibly monsters in general."]] ]] ''Sesame Street’s Count von Count was originally modeled after Bela Lugosi's interpretation of Count Dracula. Yet, while he exhibits many classic vampire clichés — an old spooky castle, a fondness for bats, fang-like teeth, and his overall appearance — he has never been explicitly identified as a vampire, on screen. __TOC__ The Count resembles Bela Lugosi's portrayal of Dracula in voice (speaking in an Eastern European accent and pronouncing his Vs as Ws, and vice-versa), appearance, and sometimes mannerisms. For example, in early sketches, the Count waves his hands to exercise hypnotic power over other Muppets and holds his cape over the lower part of his face while moving (as seen in a 1972 sketch with Ernie and Bert). In addition, an early skit revealed that the Count shows no reflection in a mirror, and the Season 40 online press kit listed ; both of these characteristics are consistent with vampire ailments. The Count has even referred to himself as a vampire in Episode 1357. Unlike vampires as traditionally depicted in legend and motion pictures, however, The Count often relaxes in the sunlight (as seen in "Counting Vacation" and "Coconut Counting Man," among others), but has shown a tendency to stay out of it when he can.MomsLA interview at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour 2014 in Pasadena on January 21, 2014 Furthermore, the Count has never demonstrated a fondness for blood, nor does he sleep in a coffin (he sleeps at night in a normal bed). However, while the Count has never been shown to posses the ability to turn into a bat like some vampires of lore, he does exhibit this behavior in the Barrio Sésamo comic story "La mansión del conde Draco" from the Joyas del Comic Ersa collection. The Count walk-around seen in the Ice Follies has bat-like wings. A 2009 version of The Count's profile on Sesame Workshop's website refers to the character as a "number-friendly vampire" and suggests that he may be a distant relative of Count Dracula.Sesame Workshop profile. Accessed November 19, 2009. In addition, the book Sesame Street Unpaved describes the Count as a "Numerical Vampire."Borgenicht, David Sesame Street Unpaved; New York, NY: Hyperion, 1998, pp. 56-58. In contrast, the 2001 Sesame Street Muppets Drawing Guide insists "The Count is not a vampire."Stevenson, Nancy W. (illustrator) Sesame Street Muppets Drawing Guide; Sesame Workshop: New York, NY, 2001, p. 9. Some traditional vampire myths depict vampires as having a similar fixation with counting small objects, providing a means of distracting them by tossing a handful of seeds or salt on the ground. This is seen as a protection from the vampire. Historically, this condition appeared simply to be a coincidence, with the character inspired more by the pun on his title of nobility. In 2017, the question of his arithmomania was confirmed by the Count himself in a video for Wired. Responding to the question of , a query posited by Google search terms, the Count replies, "Yes, but I am a wampire sic with an unquenchable thirst for numbers." }} In the Universal Studios Singapore stage show, Trick or Treat with Sesame Street, when the Count goes trick-or-treating without a costume, someone assumes he's dressed as a vampire, to which he replies "Vampire? Where?" Episode 4931 references his vampire nature when the Count is seen at the produce section of a supermarket. He reacts negatively when the clerk offers him a hunk of garlic. In a 2019 interview with Marvel LIVE at San Diego Comic-Con, the Count claims he passes through the crowded convention by turning into a bat. Criticisms Over the years, Sesame Street’s depiction of a vampire-like character has been met with some criticism from adult audiences. The following letters are some examples of the complaints lodged with Sesame Street’s producers, as found in the CTW Archives. Count Critisism - Letter1.jpg|Letter to CTW and Western Publishing (April 18, 1979) Count Critisism - Letter2.jpg|CTW response letter (May 23, 1979) Count Critisism - Letter3a.jpg|Letter to Joan Ganz Cooney (June 1, 1979) (page 1 of 2) Count Critisism - Letter3b.jpg|Letter to Joan Ganz Cooney (June 1, 1979) (page 2 of 2) In popular culture Sources See also * Count von Count * Vampires External links *Norman Stiles talks about the creation of the Count on the October 15, 2018 episode of the Fangs podcast (9:06–14:56) __NOWYSIWYG__ Category:Halloween References Category:Rumors